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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

what do you think of this letter about a noisy dog

25 replies

Radley · 06/10/2007 09:38

Due to our brief conversation the other week with regards to you being reported for noise, I can only assume it is because of XXXXXX and wanted to bring something to your attention.

As you are all at work for long periods of time, you may not be aware of the situation and I wanted to bring it to your attention. Whilst you are all out xxxxxxx barks constantly and, on more than one occasion we have had to come in the house because we cannot sit outside without his constant barking.

Hence it has ruined some of my days of as I can?t sit outside and read for five minutes without him sat at the other side of the wall barking, if he stopped after 5 minutes fair enough, but he doesn?t. It has got to the point where if someone comes to our back door we can?t talk for him and the girls have stopped playing in the garden because he barks too much. Also, I can?t have the back door open because if he hears noise he is once again at the wall barking.

This morning has been the final straw, he had been barking from 7.30 (which I?m sure you must know, but before 8am it is breaking the law to have a noisy dog)

I really do hope that something can be sorted as soon as possible otherwise I will have no option but to take it further myself, which is not a road that I want to go down.

OP posts:

suzywong · 06/10/2007 09:40

that's good
but a pound of sausages laced with rat poison chucked over the fence would be better

Original poster

Radley · 06/10/2007 09:42

LOL Suzywong, I was very tempted after this morning

OP posts:

RubberDuck · 06/10/2007 09:44

Quick grammar check:

Repeat of "I wanted to bring it to your attention" in the second paragraph should be deleted.

"of my days of" should be days OFF.

Full stop instead of comma after "other side of the wall barking" then change next sentence to "If he stopped after 5 minutes then it would be fair enough, but he doesn't."

"to our back door we can?t talk for him" doesn't make sense... "we can't hear ourselves over him"?

In terms of content, you say they've been reported for noise - was it you who reported them? Because if I'd received that, I would have assumed it was you who reported it and it would cause a lot of friction. You may want to say that it wasn't you.

Also, the letter is very confrontational and could well escalate as is. Might it be better dropping it into conversation rather than having an "official" letter? An ... oh by the way, it might be because XXXX is barking an awful lot - pretty much constantly during the day. I think he must be very unhappy. Did you know?

Just my two cents...

moondog · 06/10/2007 09:44

my father poisoned the dog next door when its barking was ruining our lives

conversation better than letter

BBBee · 06/10/2007 09:48

I would take out the sentence about sitting in the garden reading as I think it trivialises it too much - it is more than an issue of reading for five minutes.

MaryBleedinShelley · 06/10/2007 09:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OrmIrian · 06/10/2007 09:55

Yes I was a bit at that too mary! Not the poor dog's fault. However that is one of the many reasons I won't have a dog - we live in a terrace in a town and I'd hate to fall out with my neighbours over a barking dog.

RubberDuck · 06/10/2007 09:59

Your other option might be to contact the RSPCA if they're leaving the dog all day and the dog is obviously not happy about that.

Original poster

Radley · 06/10/2007 10:02

I don't know whether the rspca would be able to do anything as the dog is generally well cared for except for being left alone.

He has a kennel, plenty of food and water etc.

I'm sat here now with back door closed and can hear him barking, Its driving me stir crazy

OP posts:

OrmIrian · 06/10/2007 10:04

But he's barking for a reason radley. Not just to annoy you . Dogs are social animals - being along all day isn't right for them. It might well be worth a call - even if they just give you some advice.

Original poster

Radley · 06/10/2007 10:05

Thanks, I kmow he's not doing it to annoy me lol, he's lonely and bored, who wouldn't be after being locked outside all day.

OP posts:

Original poster

Radley · 06/10/2007 10:10

Tried to ring Dog Warden for advice and they don't work on a weekend - typical

OP posts:

moondog · 06/10/2007 10:26

evil schmevil

It was the mutt or/his MA/our happiness and harmony as a family.

derah · 07/10/2007 18:47

OMG Moondog, how can you laugh and be proud of your dad murdering an innocent animal? You utter cow!!!!! There must have been another more rational, humane and dare I say human route he could have taken.

Utterly astonished and heartbroken.

Ripeberry · 07/10/2007 18:53

Maybe you could suggest to your neighbour by means of leaflets or letters from companies that make anti-bark collars OR suggest they get another dog from a dogs home as company and MAYBE it won't bark anymore.
AB

Ripeberry · 07/10/2007 19:17

Why not get a "kong" and fill it with tasty treats and put it over the fence, then the dog will be so busy trying to get them out that he may stay quiet for the time you want to be out in the garden.
You'll need to check with the neighbours if its OK.
AB

TheOriginalXENA · 07/10/2007 19:23

ripeberry- that would be expensive to do daily.. unless of cause they are going to gove the kong back every evening for the op to refill
Radley- I can completly understand what you are going through, I think talk to the owner and then go to the RSPCA. (as a dog lover I feel sorry for the dog too, I think propably best for the dog to be rehomed)

Ripeberry · 07/10/2007 20:44

Maybe not every day, just when she wants to go out in her garden, but then it may be best to get the dog rehomed.
AB

Original poster

Radley · 11/10/2007 19:28

its not changed at all, he came home today at 6.40pm and went in the house and left the dog outside, the poor thing has been out in the yard since 7.40 this morning. I'm so pissed off, I have other things on my mind and sitting in my garden listening to kids playing, birds etc is one pleasure and he is spoiling it.

OP posts:

worzsel · 11/10/2007 19:45

you should complain to the environmental health department of the local council. There are no time limits on when a noise can be regarded as noise pollution and if you do report it they will get you to keep a record of the times that the dog barks and write him a letter, if he fails to comply with it then they have the power to issue an ASBO and as a part of that there can be conditions like shut the bloody creature up or go to court/get fined/ prosicuted. If i were in your situation then i would call the RSPCA too as it sounds as if he is neglecting the Dog by leaving it out in the garden all day. Keep reporting it untill something is done about it.

I know it's to late now but if i were you i would have gone rund there in the first place and had it out with him and at least that way you could of guaged if he actually gave a shit or not.

Getting a letter from the EH dept gave my neighbour the kick up the backside he needed.. i dont think he realised his dogs were ruining our lives.

worzsel · 11/10/2007 19:46

and getting another dog to suffer being left outside on it's own all day is a recipe for disaster.. If the selfish git wont look after 1 properly how's he supposed to manage 2 !

More noise, more mess and another miserable dog.

Monkeytrousers · 11/10/2007 19:49

The kids not being able to play in the garden is the strongest point. I think that would be enough without the rest. Probly too late now though..

Monkeytrousers · 11/10/2007 19:52

Environmental health will come round and set up some recording equipment. We had to do that cos of a dog in the last house we lived in; couldn't open the baby's bedroom window in the blistering summer cos of the noise. We kept forgetting to set to recoding though and when we did I'm sure all they got was a few hilarious spats between me and DP trying not to wake the baby up and setting it going.

worzsel · 11/10/2007 19:55

yeah they are definatly your best bet.

If there is one noise guarenteed to get my back up it's barking dogs. dogs which bark all day are invariably owned by completly selfish irresponsible fuckwits.

i can feel myself getting anoyed just thinking about it.

Original poster

Radley · 12/10/2007 13:04

Think I am going to have to say something. I am going to wait for his son to come home from work (it is his dog, he moved back home a while ago) and if that doesn't work I'm going to have to take it further. It's not just me that has noticed it, other neighbours have too.

OP posts:

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